Method of coiling article attached string



F. P. PARISH 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. FRANK PPAR/fiH 14? T a K IVE Y Eek 5 1952 METHOD OF COILING ARTICLE ATTACHED STRING Filed. July 3, 1950 Feb 5 1952 F. P. PARISH METHOD OF COILING ARTICLE ATTACHED STRING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 3, 1950 INVENTOR. P PAR/5H lllllzll'llll 1,1

Feb. 5, 1952 F, P, FARlsH 2,584,913

METHOD OF COILING ARTICLE ATTACHED STRING Filed July 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 l 17W, 21W

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E? Pas/5H F; @322 INVENTOR.

L l IIIIIL-Illl F. P. PARISH METHOD OF COILING ARTICLE ATTACHED STRING N I (I ll .Ik e

WWW/2w w. W .r M %M Feb. 5, 1952 Filed July 3, 1950 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 METHOD OF COILING ARTICLE ATTACHED STRING Frank P. Parish, Taneytown, Md., assignor t Sanitary Products Corporation, Taneytown, Md., a corporation of Illinois Application July 3, 1950, Serial No. 171,969

31 Claims.

The present invention relates to the art of string coil forming, and, more particularly to a method of forming coils in a length of articleattached string wherein the coils are required to maintain a fixed form and position relative to the article during subsequent processing, handling and wrapping thereof.

A great variety of relatively small size commodities merchandised in packaged form are provided with attached pull string enclosed within the package. Proper disposition of the string in relation both to the article and to the coverin package is highly desirable from the standpoint of appearance of the finished product. It is also desirable in the manufacture and packaging of the commodity, as it facilitates factory handling, processing and wrapping, thereby reducing production cost and time.

Methods commonly followed in prior art practice utilize assembly line labor to 'fold and tuck in the pull strings in the open ends or tops of packages as a final step before closing and sealing. Usually the free ends of the string -hang loosely-during the operations preceding. Opportunity is thus afiorded for the loose strings to become entangled in machine parts or operators clothing, with consequent production time loss and likelihood of damage to the commodity.

The present invention providesa method by which pull strings are quickly and easily formed in neat coils on articles to which they are attached, and entirely by automatic operations in which the coils are fixed in form and position against dislodgement in subsequent handling, processing and wrapping of the articles.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel method of coiling withdrawal string on an end of a cylindrical tampon, to which it is attached, into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter which are substantially selfsustaining in form.

Another object is to provide a novel method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached.

Still another object is to provide a method of coiling and setting a length of string concentrically on an end of a substantially cylindrical article to which the string is attached.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

For purposes of a full understanding of the invention, an illustrative example of carrying my novel method into practice is disclose? in con- 2 nection with the coiling and seating of an attached Withdrawal string on the end of a vaginal tampon.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an axial section through a tampon, with string attached, positioned in a conveyor tube prior to the operation of coiling and seating the string,

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 3, 1

Figures 3-11 illustrate, respectively, the successive steps of the method,

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the tampon at the conclusion of the operations with the string coiled into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter which are substantially self-sustaining in form, and

Figures 13-22 are similar to Figures 3-11, but illustrate an alternativeiembodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1-12, a cylindrical tampon, with pull string attached and hanging loosely from one end, is subjected to successive step operations of the novel method in the course of which the string is pneumatically disposed in linear axial alignment with and above the tampon and then relaxed to fall freely in a coil of superposed helices against the end of the tampon. In falling, the string is constrained to coil in helices of substantially uniform diameter that coincide in diameter substantially with the inside diameter of the tube into which the string is pneumatically drawn. While so constrained and relaxed, coil-formin pressure is applied to the string and the helices are subjected to axial compression, with or without heating, whereby they are compacted in substantially self-sustaining form on the tampon end, so that they are not dislodged or disarranged in the subsequent processing, handling and packaging of the tampon.

Figure 1 shows a cylindrical tampon body I5 frictionally held in a vertically disposed conveyor tube I6 that is open at both ends. At this stage pull string [1, which is doubled upon itself and previously attached to the upper end of the tampon by means not a part of this invention, has its loose ends l8 dangling alongside the tube through a diametric slot l9 opening to the upper end of the tube. This slot provides requisite clearance for mechanism, also not a part of this invention, by which the string is attached to the upper end portion of the tampon above the bottom of the slot. As shown in Figure 3, the conveyor tube is axially aligned with a cylindrical ram at its lower end. In the form shown, a pair of concentric tubes 2| and 22 are aligned at the upper end of the conveyor tube, but it is within the scope of my invention to form the coil in the pull string I! by a single tube.

The tubes 2| and 22 are telescoped and the outer tube 2| is reciprocable, as is ram 20, by any suitable mechanism, not shown. The diameter of the ram, and the external diameter of the outer tube 2|, is only slightly less than the internal diameter of the conveyo tube I6, so that there is freedom of movement with a rela tively close fit. At the start of the operation, the ram 20 is below the end of the conveyor tube, and the open lower ends of the tubes 2| and22 are flush and spaced very slightly above the upper end of the conveyor tube. The end of .the conveyor tube slot l9 opposite that through which the pull string hangs is tightly closed by a sealoff member 23 registered therewith.

Suction is applied by any suitable means to the upper portion of the inner tube 22 to draw air up into the tube through the open portion of the slot l9, as shown in Figure 3. At the same time a jet of air under pressure from a blower 24 is directed upwardly against the dangling string ends l8 to lift them into the field of suction, whereupon the free or loose ends of the string are drawn through the conveyor tube slot up into the mouth of the suction tube and are floated on the air stream in vertical extension, as shown in Figure 4, so that they are held straight up in axial registry with the tampon.

It has been found that the use of either the suction or the air jet alone is sufficient to lift and hold the loose ends of the string up within the tube 22, but best results are obtained by the combined use of both together. The use of mechanical elevating and guiding means to lift the string into the field of suction or even mechanical means for holding the string straight up in axial registry with the tampon may also be used alternatively, if desired. The essential feature is that the dangling loose ends of the string are pneumatically or mechanically or otherwise conveyed and lifted to position and pneumatically ormechanically held in the lifted position.

While the string ends are held in upright position, the outer tube 2| is lowered into engagement against the end of the tampon within the conveyor tube. At the same time an upper ram 25 is moved downwardly in the stationary inner tube 22, as shown in Figure 5. Also at this time, the suction in tube 22 is cut off. When the outer tube 2| and the upper ram start down the bottom ram 20 is moved up to a point slightly inside the conveyor tube. Instead of holding the string ends in an upright position, they can be held in any position in which the conveyor tube is located, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate.

It has been discovered that when the suction is cut oil the upstanding loose ends of the string tend to fall in natural helices constrained by the outer tube to a maximum diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the tube. This coiling action is accelerated by pressure of the upper rain in descending. The outer tube functions also to prevent any pushing of the string back out through the slot l9 under the push of the descending upper ram.

When the bottom end of the upper ram reaches the plane of the lower end of the outer constraining tube 2|, it will have pushed the string coil entirely out of the tube as shown in Figure 6. The resultant slight expansion of the coil di poses it also beneath the end of the tube. At this point, the tube 2| is given a further downward movement so that it moves with the descending ram to push the tampon down in the conveyor tube l6. Descendin movement of the tube 2| is stopped at a point slightly above the plane of the bottom of the slot I9 in order to eliminate the possibility of shearing off any portion of the string which might remain in the slot opening, but the ram 25 continues to descend until it has pushed the tampon and string coil below the plane of the bottom of slot I9, as shown in Fi ure 7.

As the upper ram reaches the end of its down stroke, the lower ram 20 is moved up to compress the bottom end of the tampon under the shaping action of a concavity 26 in the end of the ram, as shown in Figure 8. *This action also imparts an axial compression to the string coil and sets it in a substantially self-sustaining form. However, it is preferred to heat the upper ram so that the string coil is permanently set by the ironing action of the heated ram. It is also within the purview of the invention that a heated ram may be applied in a subsequent operation to dwell on top of the string fo any desired time to assure better setting of the coil. If desired the heat may be applied to the conveyor tube.

Following the setting of the coil and compression of the bottom end of the tampon, the lower ram is withdrawn from the conveyor tube. as in Figure 9, to permit resultant slight expansion of the tampon material downward. Next, as shown in Figure 10, the outer tube H is withdrawn from the conveyor tube while the upper ram remains seated on top the spring coil to prevent the string from being pulled out by withdrawal of the tube. In the final step the upper ram is withdrawn to its initial position, as shown in Figure 11, and the tampon is disposed in the conveyor tube in the position shown in Figure 12, ready for subsequent processing, handling and packaging.

The application of suction tends to create a vacuum in the tube 22. Due to the open slot l9 in the conveyor tube, the inrush of air through the lower end of the tube 22 sets up an air stream or current of sufficient velocity to pull up and float the loose portion of the string axially within the tube and hold it linearly extended from the article until the air fiow resulting from the suction is cut off. As previously stated, it has been found that the force of the air jet from the blower 24 is suflicient in itself to carry the loose ends of the string up in extended position within the tube 22. In either case, and jointly, the force of an air stream, regardless of how it is established, is used to place the loose ends of the string in proper position for coiling.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 13-22, the pull string is mechanically disposed in linear axial alignment with the tampon and coiled on its end. Instead of forming and setting the coil within the conveyor tube, as in the preceding embodiment, the tampon with string attached, is transferred axially from the conveyor tube into a processing tube, and the coil is formed and set within the processing tube. As the tampon moves into the processing tube it draws the pull string behind it, whereupon the trailing string is caused to assume a position of linear extension axially from the tampon end. While in this position, coil-forming pressure is applied to the string, and the string is constrained by the tube to coil in helices of substantially uniform diameter. The

helices are then subjected to axial compression, with or without heating, whereby they are compacted in substantially self-sustaining form on the tampon end.

At the start of the operation, as in Figure 13, the conveyor tube I 6 with a friotionally held tampon I5 is axially registered with a relatively long processing tube 26 having an internal diameter corresponding to the internal diameter of the conveyor tube. The loose ends I8 of the pull string l1 dangle alongside the tube through the diametric slot l9, as in Figure 1 of the preceding embodiment.

The string-attached end of the tampon is then engaged by a reciprocable cylindrical plunger 21 moving axially into the open end of the conveyor tube. The diameter of the plunger is reduced relative to the internal diameter of the tube l6 whereby to provide a clearance for the pull string ends. Inward movement of the plunger is continued, as shown in Figures 14, and 16, until the plunger has passed entirely through the conveyor tube and pushed the tampon well into the processing tube 26, at least far enough to dispose the full length of the trailing string ends 18 entirely within the processing tube so that they are encompassed thereby. During this transfer movement of the tampon the string ends are pulled in through the conveyor tube slot 19 and are caused to trail out behind the tampon in the clearance space between the plunger and the tube, so that they assume a position of linear extension axially from the tampon end. After the tampon and trailing string ends are fully housed within the processing tube, the plunger is withdrawn, as shown in Figures 1'7 and 18, whereupon the tampon remains frictionally held in the processing tube.

Suitable mechanism, not shown, then shifts the processing tube into axial registry with a reciprocable ram 28 having a diameter only slightly less than the internal diameter of the processing tube, and the ram is moved axially inward to engage and push the tips of the string ends l8 and apply coiling pressure thereto, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. The string ends are thus coiled along the axis of their linear extension and against the tampon end into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter. At the same time a reciprocable ram 29 similar to the ram 28 is moved axially inward through the open opposite end of the processing, tube, as shown in Figure 21, into supporting engagement against the entrant end or tip of the tampon. The ram 29 is similar to the ram 20 in Figures 3-11 and has an identical function of compressing the end of the tampon and shaping it in a concavity 30 as the tampon and the string coil are compressed between the two rams. This compression sets the string coil in substantially selfsustaining form. It is within the purview of the invention that a heated ram may be applied in a subsequent operation to dwell on top of the string for any desired time to assure better setting of the coil, or that heat may be applied through the ram 28. or to the conveyor tube.

After the setting of the coil and compression of the bottom end of the tampon, the rams 28 and 29 are withdrawn from the processing tube, as in Figure 22, leaving the tampon in the tube free for subsequent processing, handling and packaging.

It is to be observed, therefore, that the prescut invention provides a method in which the loose dangling portion of a length of article-attached string is conveyed to and placed in a, position in which it extends substantially in a straight line away from the article, and is encompassed by confining means. The string is then released within the confining means, whereupon the bias to coil that is inherent in all string becomes effective. Pressure is applied to push the string along the axis of its linear extension against the article, and the string coils in response to its natural bias. The diameter of the coil convolutions is determined by the restriction imposed by the confining means whereby superposed helices of the coil are of substantially equal diameter. The coiling pressure is continued to effect tight axial compression of the superposed windings so that the coil is firmly set in substantially self-sustaining form. Heat may be applied to enhance the setting, but is not necessary.

In this specification and in the claims, the expression substantially self-sustaining form means that the string is coiled so that it can be handled through the various operations in completing the manufacture and wrapping of the tampon. The application of heat increases its self-sustaining form. However, the string is not coiled so rigidly that it cannot be uncoiled by the fingers of a user when making the tampon ready for use.

Although the present invention has been de scribed in conjunction with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of placing the loose portion of the string in linear extension away from the article, and, while so disposed, coiling the string against and upon the article.

2. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of extending the loose portion of the string linearly from the article, relaxing the string, and coiling the relaxed string against and upon the article.

3. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of extending the loose portion of the string linearly from the article, coiling the extended string in the form of a coil against and upon the article, and setting the coil in substantially self-sustaining form.

4. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article towhich it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, coiling the string along the axis of its linear extension in a coil against and upon the article, and fixing the coil in substantially self-sustaining form.

5. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of extending the loose portion of the string. linearly from the article, relaxing the string, coiling the relaxed string against and, upon the article, and applying heat and pressure to set the coil in substantially self -sustaining form.

6. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, holding the string extended, releasing the string, and ceiling the released string against and upon the'article.

'7. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, releasing the string, and coiling the released string against and upon the article.

8. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, holding the string extended, releasing the string, pressing the released string against and upon the article, and constraining the string while it is pressed whereby to form a coil of superposed helices.

' The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, holding the string extended, releasing the string, and pressing the released string against and upon the article while constraining the said string to cause it to form a coil of superposed helices.

10. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, releasing the string, coiling the released string along the axis of it linear extension against and upon the article, and heating the formed coil to set it in substantially self sustaining form.

11. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of pneumatically conveying the loose portion of the string to a position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, releasing the string, and coiling the released string against and upon the article along the axis of its linear extension.

12. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of pneumatically conveying the loose portion of the string to a'position in which it is extended linearly away from the article, releasing the string, pressing the released string against the article along the axis of its with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of pneumatically convey ing the, loose portion of the string to a position in which it'is extended linearly away from the article, pneumatically holding the string in that position, confining the string while so held, releasing the confined string, and pressing it while confined into a coil against and upon the article.

14. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of floating the loose portion of the string axially in a confined air current di-- rected away from the article, cutting off the air fiow to release the string, and coiling the released string against the article on the axis of the air flow.

15. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed relation with resepct 'to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of floating the loose portion of the string longitudinally 'on an air current directed away from the article, cutting off the air current, and coiling the string on the article by applying pressure to the string in a'direction opposite'to that of the air current flow.

16. The method of disposing a length of articleattached pull string in folded and fixed relation with respect to the'article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of floating the loose portion of the string axially in a confined air current directed linearly away from the article, cutting off the air flow to release the string, and coiling the released string against the article by applying pressure to'the string axially of the direction of linear extension, and constraining the string while 1'']. The method of disposing a length of articleatt'ached' pull'string in folded and fixed relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of floating the loose portion of the string axially in a confined air current directed linearly away from the article, cutting off the air flow to release the string, coiling the released'string against the article by applying pressure to thestring axially of the direction of the air flow,'and peripherally confining the coil as it is formed to obtain a desired'diameter of coil.

18. The method of disposing a'length of articleattached pull 'st rin'gin folded and fixed relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising'the steps of applying suction to the loose portion of the string and thereby pulling it to extend linearly from the article, cutting oil" the suction, coiling the released string, and pressing the coil tightly against and upon the article.

19. The method of disposing alength of articleatta'chedpull'string in folded and fixed formrelation with respect to the article to which it is attache id, comprising the steps of applying suction to the loose portion of the string and thereby extending it linearly away from the article, encircling the string by confining means, cutting off the suctionfpressingthe string against and upon the article while confined, and removing the confining means.

20. The method of coiling a withdrawal string on an end of a cylindrical tampon, to which it is attached, into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter which are substantially self-sustaining in form, comprising the steps of applying suction to the loose portion of the string and thereby pulling it linearly away from the tampon substantially on the axis thereof, encircling the full length of the extended string by tubular confining means of an internaldiameter substan- 1 9 I tially equal to the diameter of the tampon, cutting off the suction to relax the str' 1g, applyin pressure at the free end of the string axially of the tampon and thereby coiling the string in response to its inherent bias in superposed helices of substantially equal diameter constrained to the internal diameter of the confining means, continuing the pressure until the superposed helices of the coil are tightly compressed axially against and upon the tampon end, and removing the conrelation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of floating the loose portion of the string axially on an air current directed linearly away from the article, cutting off the air flow to release the string, and coiling the released string against the article by applying heat and pressure to the string axially of the direction of the air flow.

22. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and fixed form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of applying suction to the loose portion of the string and thereby pulling it to extend linearly from the article, cutting off the suction to release the string, coiling the released string, pressing the coiling tightly against and upon the article, and heating the pressed coil to set it in substantially selfsustaining form.

23. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprisin the steps of pulling the loose portion of the string into linear extension away from the article, and pushing the string along its axis of extension into the form of a coil against and upon the article.

24. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of moving the article a distance suflicient to trail the loose portion of the string into linear extension away from the article, and pushing the string along its axis of extension into the form of a coil against and upon the article.

25. The method of coiling a withdrawal string on an end of a cylindrical tampon, to which it is attached, into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter which are substantially self-sustaining in form, comprising the steps of moving v the tampon by pusher means axially into a tubular confining member and thereby pulling the loose portion of the string behind the tampon substantially in a straight line extension entirely within the member, removing the pusher means, pushing the free end of the extended string inwardly within the tubular confining member by a ram closely fitting therein whereby to form the string in superposed helices constrained in diameter by the confining member to the diameter of the tampon, and continuing the pushing action of the ram to a point at which the superposed helices are compressed against and upon the end of the tampon and thereby set into a coil which is substantially self-sustaining in form.

26. The method of coiling a withdrawal string on an end of a cylindrical tampon, to which it is attached, into superposed helices of substantially ill) equal diameter which are substantially self-sus- V taining in form, comprising the steps of pushing the tampon axially into a confining tube by a ram. reduced in diameter relative to the tube and tampon to provide a clearance into which the loose portion of the string is entirely pulled by the tampon in a substantially straight line extension, removing the ram, pushing the free end of the extended string inwardly within the tube by a ram equal in diameter to the diameter of the tampon whereby to form the string in superposed helices constrained in diameter by the tube to the diameter of the tampon, and continuing the pushing action of said equal diameter ram to a point at which the superposed helices are compressed against and upon the end of the tampon and set into a coil which is substantially selfsustaining in form.

27. The method of ceiling a withdrawal string on an end of a cylindrical tampon, to which it is attached, into superposed helices of substantially equal diameter which are substantially selfsustaining in form, comprising the steps of pulling the loose portion of the string in a straight line extending away from the tampon axially thereof, encompassing the full length of the extended string in tubular confining means of an internal diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the tampon, pushin the free end of the string axially of the tampon inwardly within the confining means and thereby coiling the string in response to its inherent bias in superposed helices of substantially equal diameter con strained to the internal diameter of the confining means, and compressing the superposed helices axially against and upon the tampon end into acoil which is substantially self-sustaining in form.

28. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of arranging the free portion of the string in a compact coil on one end of the article, and setting the convolutions of the coil in substantially self-sustaining form.

29. The method of disposin a length of article-attached pull strin in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of arranging the free portion of the string in a compact coil on one end of the article, and setting the convolutions of the coil in substantially self-sustaining form by heat and pressure.

30. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull string in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of arranging the free portion of the string in a compact coil on one end of the article, and setting the convolutions of the coil in substantially self-sustaining form by heat.

31. The method of disposing a length of article-attached pull strin in folded and set form relation with respect to the article to which it is attached, comprising the steps of arranging the free portion of the string in a compact coil on one end of the article, and setting the convolutions of the coil in substantially self-sustaining form by pressure.

FRANK P. PARISH.

No references cited. 

